Counterfeiting of event tickets for concerts, galas, sporting events, and the like is common. There are a number of different techniques used in commerce today to attempt to thwart such counterfeiting. For example, for sporting events tickets are often printed on a paper stock that has a "slick" cast coated finish. Another commercially available product to attempt to thwart counterfeiting is the use of a laminated stock which has colored tissue laminated between two sheets of white paper. While these proposals can be successful, they usually require a ticket taker who is sharp, and they may produce final products which are undesirable for some situations.
According to the present invention, a method and product are provided which can simply, yet effectively, thwart counterfeiting of tickets and the like. The product according to the present invention is designed so that the anti-counterfeiting feature thereof becomes particularly visible to the ticket taker when the ticket taker is taking the action that requires his or her most concentration, proper separation of the ticket body from the ticket stub. The tickets are also produced in a simple manner, and while the paper stock from which the tickets are made is a special paper stock, it is relatively inexpensive, differing from conventional ticket paper stock only slightly (that is in the provision of a few security threads therein, typically only thread per ticket).
According to one aspect of the present invention, a piece of paper stock having a security feature therein is provided. The paper stock has first and second dimensions much greater than its thickness. Means are provided defining a line of separation (such as a line of weakness, like a perforation; or an indicia line) in the adhesive paper stock at which the stock is adapted to be torn or otherwise separated to separate the piece of paper stock into distinct pieces of stock. It also includes a stretchable security thread, such as a flat, preferably polyester thread that may have microprinting thereon, which extends so that it intersects, with portions lying on either side of, the line of separation. In this way when the piece of paper stock is separated along the line of separation the security thread does not initially separate but provides a visual and distinct resistance indication between the separated portions of the paper stock that it is there, stretching about one-quarter inch or so before it breaks.
The means defining a line of weakness are not essential, but rather the thread may merely be generally parallel to the dimension of elongation of a ticket formed from the stock.
The piece of paper stock preferably is a ticket for an event, having indicia printed on at least the top face thereof providing information relating to the event to which the ticket corresponds, or the agency using the same. The security thread provides a clear visual--and even tactile--indication to the ticket taker at the time that the ticket taker is concentrating most carefully (that is while separating the ticket stub from the body of the ticket). The security thread (which can be clear, metalized or colored), if present, makes it easy to see that the ticket is legitimate.
Normally the line of separation will be a line of weakness, such as a series of perforations. In such case, the perforating apparatus is constructed so that there is a significant gap at the security thread so that it is not severed by the perforating blade. However, the line of separation may merely be an indicia line instead of a line of weakness.
The invention comprises a method of producing a ticket for an event from a web of paper having edges, and stretchable security threads encased therewithin. The method comprises the following steps: (a) Providing the web of paper with security threads disposed therein so that the edges of the web are substantially parallel to the security threads, and so that the edges and threads are spaced from each other a predetermined distance in a first dimension. (b) Continuously printing the web to provide a plurality of printed tickets. (c) Cutting the web into sheets. And (d) providing means defining a line of separation in each individual printed ticket extending generally perpendicular to a security thread in that ticket, so that when a ticket is detached along the line of separation, the security thread is not initially detached but rather provides a visual indication between detached portions of the ticket on either side thereof that the security thread is present.
There also may be the further steps, after step (c) and prior to step (d), of: rotating the cut sheets 90.degree.; gluing each cut sheet to a preceding sheet; punching line holes in the sheets for proper registration in the print device, right and left; and then folding the sheets for delivery. Steps (a)-(d) are typically practiced so as to provide each security thread in each printed ticket, although may multiple threads may be provided in each ticket if desired. Step (d) may be practiced by providing perforations at the line of separation, the perforations including perforation gaps, but no perforation gap being provided at the intersection of the security thread with the line of separation.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a ticket or the like that can thwart counterfeiting in a simple and inexpensive, yet effective, manner. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.